Injection syringe and cartridge



March 9, 1954 M. DANN INJECTION SYRINGE AND CARTRIDGE HHUiIIIIIIIIIH MII..

//. l ZIIIIII Filed April` 10, 1953 INVENTOR. Maf/1s afm/ Patented Mar. 9, 1954 INJECTION SYRINGE AND CARTRIDGE Morris Dann, Philadelphia, Pa., assgnor to American Home Products Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application April 10, 1953, Serial No. 348,024

(Cl. 12S-218) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a. cartridge-needle unit adapted for use in an injection syringe and to the combination of cartridge-needle unit and syringe. This application is a continuation in part of my application Serial No. 335,073 for Cartridge-Syringe Unit, iiled February 4, 1953.

In that application I disclosed and claimed a cartridge-syringe unit of the disposable type, i. e. a unit that is intended in general to be discarded after one use. The unit there described is complete in itself, requiring no additional syringe body. Many physicians, however, are equipped with syringe bodies, e. g. of the "Tubex type, and do not wish to discard them; some prefer such syringes to the disposable type. Accordingly it is an object of my invention to provide an improved cartridge to be used in a non-disposable syringe body; my invention includes a cartridge-needle unit and the combination of cartridge-needle unit and syringe body.

In the past it has been the practice to furnish the physician with syringes of the Tubex type in three separate units: the syringe body, a foil- Wrapped sterile double-cannula needle provided with a threaded hub, and a cartridge consisting of an ampule containing the injectable drug, the ampule being closed at one end by a slidable plunger and at the other end by a iixed pierceable closure such as a rubber disc retained in place by a crimped metal ferrule. In using this syringe, the physician removes the needle from its sterile wrapping, inserts the needle in the syringe body from the distal end and screws the hub home, being careful not to touch the syringe body with the proximal sterile cannula of the needle; he then sterilizes the pierceable closure of the cartridge, as by wiping it with alcohol, inserts the cartridge in the syringe body and presses it home so that the closure is pierced by the proximal needle cannula; after closing the syringe body and screwing the push rod on to the plunger i'ltting provided, the syringe is ready for use. After use, the cartridge and needle are discarded and the syringe body may be reused until worn out.

Such syringes have met with wide acceptance among physicians because of their many advantages, and many thousands have been sold. They are, however, susceptible of improvement, and my invention constitutes such `an improvement, as is shown below.

According to my invention, I provide a cartridge-needle unit comprising an ampule, preferably of transparent glass, charged witn an injectable drug, and a needle assembly xedly mounted on the ampule. The ampule is closed at one end by a slidable plunger provided with a threaded connection for the push rod of the syringe body; the other end is contracted to a small flanged opening closed by a penetrable rubber gasket or stopper. The needle assembly comprises a double cannula needle xedly mounted in a hub and a flexible sleeve closed at one end, surrounding the distal cannula of the needle, sealing the distal end of the needle, and at the proximal end of the sleeve forming a tight joint with a, reduced portion of the hub. The outside diameter of the sleeve is less than the inside diameter of the threaded opening at the distal end of the syringe :body so that it may pass readily through it when preparing the syringe for use. The hub is provided with an exterior thread which meshes with the thread of the distal opening in the syringe body, and is also provided with a skirt which is crimped around the flange of the ampule and holds the needle assembly lirmly attached to the ampule with the proximal cannula penetrating the ampule closure and communicating with the ampule contents. As distributed to the user, the interior of the ampule and of the needle, the ampule contents and the exposed exterior of the cannulae, i. e. the drug and all parts of the syringe coming into contact with drug or patient, are in sterile condition; the sterile condition of the distal cannula of the needle is preserved by the surrounding sleeve.

In use, the physician inserts the cartridgeneedle unit into the syringe body through its proximal end, screws the Vierrule home 1in the syringe body, closes the latter and connects the push rod with the cartridge plunger. No particular care is necessary to avoid contact to the sterile needle with the non-sterile syringe body, since the needle is completely protected by the sleeve. If the physician should be interrupted at this point, the syringe may be safely laid down without fear of contamination. y Also, if a series of injections is to be given, a number of syringes can be prepared up to this point and laid out without contamination. Immediately before injection the sleeve is withdrawn from the needle and the injection then given. Aspiration is readily possible with my invention to* determine whether a blood vessel has been entered in an intramuscular injection.

One `embodiment of my invention is described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, but description and drawing are intended to be exemplary only and not to limit the scope of my invention which is dened in the appended claims.

In the drawings Fig. l represents the complete assembly of my invention, partly in section, on a somewhat enlarged scale;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of the cartridge-needle unit;

Fig. 3 is a View of the needle assembly partly in section with a modified sleeve;

Fig. 4 is a further enlarged sectional view of the needle hub; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a modiled hub and ferrule.

A metal syringe body I of the Tubex type is is contracted to a small openinggII); provided'with l a flange I I and closed by a penetrablestopper 12;.

A hub I3 is secured to the ampule by means YAY of a skirt I4, which is crimpediorxrolled around flange I I of the ampule as shown in Fig. 2. Atits distal end, the hub is provided with a malethread I5 which mates with the -female thread I6 in the openingainzthedistalendz of 'syringe body. Ii I-lubl I Qlisalsoaprovidedwith 1a central bore:x I .'IinA which isfiixed fliquidtight 'al double-cannula@needlel I 82 In-.F.ig;: V5 a .modified-2 form of hub.: ILI 3E isillustra/ted:v In .this-modincation;skirt I4 nofFig. V4i is replaced.- by: a separateiferrulevl I4; whichl func'- tions` in ani analogousffway:to*` secure -the hub 1 to ampule 9;

Theproximalfcannulan I Bofttheneedle is :short and'v penetrates stopper: |25 just'. farf enough| to communicate.y with .the interior of' the ampule. The distal 4cannula 2llof3the-needler is surrounded by azsleeve: 2 I Itof rubber; neopreneiplastic or. they like, which-nts: bacteria=tightat ,its proximal end4 around :reducedportion:22-iofLhub I 3i The :sleeve is" closedzat-:its: distal: end fby; atsolid` plug: 23;` as shownginulgsrl and: 2; .thisf nlugxisl pierced by the; needle; I 8E and-.effectively seals.:the..distal end of:tlie=needlelagainsttlealgagef. The outside di'- ameter.- of: thezsleevexis. zsuiiciently small .to pass easily throughzthe-threadedzhole- I Sbin the syringe bodyvasrshownninilig. l In Fig; 3 ay rnodiedl form". ofrsleeve|2'I1isaillustrateds. In this-form the plug |23 .at-:the distaliend-of the sleeve is'not solidthroughoutabutis. providedwith a bore .I23 suciently, smaller than theoutside diameter vof the needletdf crm 1a .liquid tight j ointi therewith;

'Ihe steps: in: assembling i amd-i lling.: my car A tridge-needlezunitmiaybeas follows;

1. The.. ampule.. is. washed.

2. The plungeris inserted..

3. Plunger. andampuleare -sterilized Y dry at. 1 30?.

C.. for. 21/hou1's.

4. Needle,; ferrule, closure andsheathare washed and. assembled..

5.. .The needle assemblyis sterilizeddryat 130". C.

for 2.1/2. hours..

6.Y The ampule. is .lled aseptically,

'7. The ,needleassembly is. mounted @septically-.on

thelled ampule.

8.' The assemblyA is;insp ected.

9. If satisfactory, the ferrulefiscrimpednrolled around the..ange of. the ampule and the unit ispacked..

In givingan injection; the -1 userswings back head2' of fthe-syringe b'ody, inserts-'the cartridgeneedlel unit; screws-tliread lfhomein mating` tion is exceedingly simple, requiring no sterilization and no particular precautionrin` assembly in; order to carry-out the injection under aseptic conditions.

In the disclosure and claims the term proxima-l. isiusedftoz denote a direction towards the p lunger end of the syringe, and the term "distalfai direction* towards the needle end.

1'; A' cartridge-needle unit adapted to be inserted-.and-.used-.insla rigid syringe body provided with a.. push rod at its proximal end and a threaded opening at its distal end, said unit com-- prising: a transparent ampule closed at one end with a slidableplunger providedwith'a threaded connection frthe' pushrodoff' the syringe'body, the other Vendbeing contracted to a small flanged opening;A aY penetrableclosure sealing the small opening, a doubleecannula Vinjection needlexedly mountedin a hub; theehubbeingrrnlyk secured to the'uangedopening of'fthe ampuleand exerting pressure onthe'penetrable closure'to sealthe ampule, theproxima1` cannula of the needle passing throughl the penetrableclosure and communicatingwith the interior of the'ampule and the distal cannula extending outwards from thehub, an exterior thread on the hub adapted lto mate'with an interior threadin the opening at Ythedistal end 4of 'the syringe body, Vthe huh atitsdistalendhaving a portionoi reduced diameter, andasl'eeve surrounding the distal cannula of the needle, said-sleevehaving anoutside diameterless than .the inside 'diameter lof the distal opening in the syringe-body, forming a tight-joint with .the'reduced portion ofthe hub, and. having a solidiportionat its'diStal'end sur rounding and rsealing the distal end 'iof the needle.

2. In combination: arigidisyrnge body anda cartridge-needle unit;. the syringe body having at its proximalend 'a head, moveable togive access to itsinterior and b'earing'a slidable push'rod with a threaded connection-at'its 'distal end', having longitudinal 'slotsin `its mid-portion, and' provided withan ,internally threaded opening at 'its distal end; the cartridge-'needle Aunit 'comprising va transparent glass ampule charged with an inject'- able-drug, said ampule beingclosed' at one end with a slidable'plunger'provided with a .threaded connection attached to-the push-rod, the other. end being contracted to aVv small viiangedA opening, apenetrable closure sealing the `small opening, aV double-cannula injection needle xedly mounted in a.hub, the hub being firmly securedto4 the flanged openingjof the'ampule'andexerting pressure on the lpenetrable closure toseal the ampule, the` proximal cannula of.' the needle passing through the'penetrable closure and communicating-with the interior of'the Vampule Aand the 4distal cannula extending'outwards from the hub, an exterior'thread'on the hub-mating with the interior. thread in' the-opening'at" the distalend ofthe syringebody, the hub at'itsdistal endhavinga portion of reduced4V diameter,A and. asleeve surroundingthe distal cannula of "tlie'needla saidv sleeve-havinganoutside diameter less than the. inside diameteroff the distal opening` in. the syringe'body', formingja`tiglit'joint'with the reduced'portion'of'thehub, andhaving a solidportion-at its distal end' surrounding andisealing. the distal 'end of. the needle.

MORRISFDANNL' Norreferences'cited: 

